"The first victory we can claim is that our hearts are free of hatred. Hence we say to those who persecute us and who try to dominate us: ‘You are my brother. I do not hate you, but you are not going to dominate me by fear. I do not wish to impose my truth, nor do I wish you to impose yours on me. We are going to seek the truth together’. THIS IS THE LIBERATION WHICH WE ARE PROCLAIMING."
Oswaldo José Payá Sardiñas (2002)

Thursday, March 20, 2014

What Venezuelan Students Initially asked for on February 10 (Historical document)

Document#UCVFCUaddressed to the Minister@RodriguezT_MIJP#FreeTheStudentsNOW pic.twitter.com/dfo0Tmsbbztweeted by Juan Requesens‏12:24 PM - 10 Feb 2014In the communication below to a representative of the Maduro government, student leader Juan Requesens laid out on February 10, 2014 the conditions for a dialogue with the government which focused on two areas: 1) release of students who had engaged in protests as is their constitutional rights and 2) For the government to stop accusing them of being "coup plotters" and "terrorists" for holding nonviolent demonstrations. The Maduro government's response was the extrajudicial execution of students, more arrests and the continued use of extreme language against students who are peacefully protesting.

Juan Requesens, President FCU UCV

February 10, 2014

Mr. Rodríguez Torres.

Minister of Popular Power for the Interior , Justice and Peace .

Through this communication we are writing to you in order to reject categorically, on behalf of the national student community, the arrest of our classmates in Tachira and the mistreatment of high school students and transfer to Coro for thir eventual imputation. Also the repression suffered by students in various houses of study . Students exercising the legitimate right to protest and are now treated as criminals . Every call to dialogue , is useless to the extent that students are detained , and the student movement that has been consistent with the recognition , the depolarization and the call for joint work between state bodies and bodies representing students can not accept the detention of students.

This student movement , stands apart completely from a violent agenda , it is not our nature and we have demonstrated in all the mobilizaitons and protests that have taken place, what we can not accept is the blackmail of being labeled as "coup plotters" or " terrorists " if we use our main tool for demanding our rights .

Finally, we demand likewise, the response presently about those detained , their release and the immediate formation of working groups to address issues related to insecurity and violence in our home campuses.